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Tomato sauce goes a long way and so does most cream sauces made with canned soup like mushroom or celery. Easy to make both of those. Not necessary to put more than a pound of meat in them, but you can double batch them with the one pound. Use noodles or rice as a filler. Also, veggies from the freezer are pretty cheap, but it's always good to have potatoes, onions, carrots and celery on hand for stews and snacks. Saltine crackers are also cheap and great for stews.

Most stews are pretty easy.

1 pound Chicken or beef- cut into 1/2in cubes and pre cooked or pan fried until just done

---(I have even used a 10.5 or 12 ounce can of chicken)

3 lg potatoes peeled and cut into chunks

1/2 onion chopped

4 carrots- sliced or cubed

2 stalks of celery sliced

Water to cover about 1-2 inches above food

Season to taste

Throw it all into a crock pot and cook on high for one hour, then on low for three+

*** You can also sub pasta or rice for the potatoes, but you need to wait until the last hour or less before adding these. Check out a cooking website for the best times***

This should make 2+ meals

Cost about $5 or less if anything is on sale

Pasta sauce

12 ounce can of tomato paste

2+ cans chopped tomatoes

1 pound of ground beef, cooked or go vegetarian- no meat

1 carrot cut in half and ends cut off-to cut the acid in the sauce

1 Tbsp sugar

1 Tbsp of malt or balsamic vinegar, if available (not needed, but it tastes better)

1/2 onion chopped

Garlic, oregano, basil, marjoram (if you have it), bay leaves (no more than two and remove after cooking- do not eat) to taste

Bring to a boil and then down to simmer for one hour after. Then, cook a 16ounce box of noodles.

Garlic bread can be any toasted bread buttered with a little garlic powder or salt sprinkled on after. I have made it with buns, white, wheat, whatever I have ATM.

This should make 2+ meals also.

Cost about $5 or less, depending if you add the meat or not.

Another tip is to use salad plates or bread plates for dinner, even for adults. You will find that most people are full after the first serving, because that is really enough food.

I also have recipes for chicken and tuna salad for sandwiches and cream sauces, if you want them. Let me know.

Also, if the baby is older, you may be able to just blend the food for the baby in a chopper or blender. I did this all the time with my youngest two. It depends on the age though. Also, I used less spices when I knew I was going to do this.

Does your state have sales tax on groceries? I've had that much to spend on 2 adults and 5 kids before.

I would do chili dogs, fettucini alfredo and texas toast, baked potatoes, meat and potatoes with diced chili tomatoes, sloppy joes, spaghetti or really any type of pasta is cheap, grilled cheese and tomato soup, and cream of wheat or oatmeal for breakfast. May not be super healthy but those meals are cheap and could get them by for at least the first week.

by Anonymous 1 - Original Poster
on Jan. 18, 2013 at 2:27 AM

She is a friend. Through CafeMom & Facebook. We 'met' in a due date group when we were both pregnant.

It's a very unforeseen situation. From what I understand, the daycare they were using was suddenly shut down due to something to do with state daycare assistance being misused....not on their part, they receive zero benefits) but now one has had to miss work to find new childcare, and the new childcare expense is practically double the previous....plus a health insurance cost hike. Neither which was expected, not to mention the loss of wages from staying home with the kiddo until new daycare was found. So they're in a bind and I'm trying to get suggestions. I'm in Texas, they do not.

Quoting Anonymous:

I would give my "friend" some money.. Or at least take her grocery shopping. Assuming this is truly a one time, unforeseen situation.

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